About HO’OMAU RANCH

History

Project saves isle palm tree from near extinction

As a youngster in South Kona, Mel Johansen remembers his “Uncle George” telling the story about the time he discovered a rare palm tree and saved it from a bulldozer. Today, Johansen is dedicated to making sure that same critically endangered tree species, a previously unidentified Hawaiian loulu palm, has a chance of recovering. Johansen is the manager of the Nature Conservancy’s Kona Hema Preserve in South Kona, where the species Pritchardia schattaueri — named for George Schattauer — is now thriving.